Toward a Theory of Fascism for Anti-Fascist Life. A Process Vocabulary

Brian Massumi

Developing a new conceptual vocabulary to analyze the mutations of contemporary fascism

Fascism is not just a historical event – it is a recurring process, adapting and re-emerging in new forms. In Toward a Theory of Fascism for Anti-Fascist Life Brian Massumi offers a conceptual framework for understanding fascist tendencies as they unfold in contemporary politics. Moving beyond rigid definitions, this book provides a vocabulary of key concepts that trace how fascism operates, spreads, and takes root in the collective psyche. Drawing on process philosophy and political theory, Massumi challenges conventional understandings of power, personality, and collectivity, inviting readers to think critically about the conditions that enable authoritarianism’s resurgence.

Designed as both a standalone primer and a companion to The Personality of Power, this book offers a flexible and non-linear approach to political analysis. Readers can enter at any point, following the interwoven concepts as they build a deeper understanding of today’s fascist dynamics and counterforces. More than an intellectual exercise, Toward a Theory of Fascism for Anti-Fascist Life is a call to action: an invitation to recognize the harbingers of fascism today.

Bio: Brian Massumi is a Canadian philosopher and social theorist, and, until recently, Professor of Communication at the University of Montreal. He is the author of many books, including Parables for the Virtual (2002), First and Last Emperors (1993), and 99 Theses on the Revaluation of Value (2018).

114 pages, 5.5 x 8.5, paperback

UK: £15 / US: $20    

ISBN 978-1-57027-438-1

Release to the book trade 4 April 2025

Released by Minor Compositions, Colchester / Brooklyn / Port Watson

Minor Compositions is a series of interventions & provocations drawing from autonomous politics, avant-garde aesthetics, and the revolutions of everyday life.

Minor Compositions is an imprint of Autonomedia

POL042030   POLITICAL SCIENCE / Political Ideologies / Fascism & Totalitarianism | PHI040000    PHILOSOPHY / Movements / Critical Theory | SOC072000   SOCIAL SCIENCE / Activism & Social Justice

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